New African-American Sorority Collector?s Doll Debuts 2009 Line, Pretty As Is

October 11, 2009?A new African-American sorority doll inspired by Alpha Kappa Alpha has been created exclusively for The Sisterhood Boutique by the Madame Alexander Doll Company. Ivy Rose is a "first" for the Alexander Doll Company.

The creation of the Ivy Rose? doll collection hopes to unify women who like creator and founder, Rochelle McAllister, desires a purpose driven lifestyle and a natural appreciation for fashion and style.

The three dolls for the 2009 ?Pretty As Is? collection are named Ivy Rose, Ivy, and Rose. Like the first Ivy Rose doll created in 2008, each aspect of the 2009 collection has been meticulously considered as each doll is hand-crafted by Alexander Doll Company. This exquisite heirloom doll is perfect for sorority sisters, gift giving, and doll collectors alike. Ivy Rose, Ivy and Rose, celebrate the diversity of beauty with in the sisterhood of women. ?Pretty, takes on many forms, the bonds we honors and the ties that bind us help us to realize pretty is physical, mental, and emotional and as created beings we are Pretty As Is,? says McAllister as she created the collection?s concept.

For more information about the Pretty As Is collection from the Sisterhood Boutique, visit and follow Ivy Rose on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/IvyRoseDoll.

About The Sisterhood Boutique

The initial concept for The Sisterhood Boutique came about when Rochelle McAllister was preparing to apply to business school. The process of preparing essays allowed her to dream big and to realize her passion lies somewhere between the world of fashion and the universe of femininity. McAllister seeks to build a company that combines her personal affections with her eclectic and entrepreneurial spirit. Through The Sisterhood Boutique and the dolls we create, McAllister?s aim is inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs. Additionally, it is her hope to collaborate with other women who like her, in addition to being purpose driven, also and have a natural appreciation for fashion and style. We actively seek to build business relationships with liked minded individuals.

McAllister is currently a first-law student at Howard University School of Law. She received her MBA from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University in 2006 and her Bachelor?s degree in Finance from Oakwood University in 1998. Ms. McAllister was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. on January 26, 1997 and currently resides in Silver Spring, MD.

Jan/Feb 2010 Issue coming soon!

I must say I am getting quite excited about our upcoming issue. We have some really great articles and tutorials included for those of you who, like myself, love BJDs! Those of you that aren't familiar with the ball jointed doll phenomenon will get a little education on what they are all about.
I am becoming a huge fan of the Asian Ball Jointed Dolls. I love the unique look they have with their large eyes and smokey looks. Fabulous!! I bought my first BJD at IDEX last January and I have been hooked ever since!
For those knitters out there, we have a special article and pattern coming up in our March/April issue.
Cynthia Berrier of http://www.dollswestdesigns.com/ is creating a special pattern exclusively for us. It will be a sweet little sweater that will fit MSD size BJDs and the Ellowyne series of dolls.
BJD Face-up Artist Cristy Stone will also be sharing her talent with us as she takes us through guided steps on how to paint face-ups.
The March/April issue will also begin our on-going sculpting tutorial that will show how to sculpt a ball jointed doll.
Stay tuned as Lifelike Dolls brings fresh and interesting ideas in 2010!

Cheryl

Dolls on a Budget

These tough economic times have forced many of us to tighten our belts and watch our spending. For doll collectors, that can mean buying fewer dolls, selling existing collections, or simply enjoying the collection you already have. I would love to hear from the collectors out there:
How do you continue to enjoy doll collecting during a recession?
You can post your responses in the comment section.
Sheri

Reborning, An Evolving Artform

One of the things that I respect most about the art of reborning is the way it is always evolving. New mediums, different tools and various techniques create so many possibilities for each completed doll, that it is practically impossible to end up with two identical dolls. Each creation is an opportunity for learning new skills and surpassing past achievements in realism. There are also so many different methods used to reborn that there is seemingly no “right way” or “wrong way” to do things. This diversity is one of the reasons I wanted to create Lifelike Dolls magazine. There are so many talented artists out there and I am so excited to be able to share their experiences and techniques with both new and experienced artists around the world. I hope that each and every one of our readers gets something positive from the articles and tutorials and puts down the magazine with a keen desire to create lifelike baby dolls to the best of his/her ability. As an artist myself, I have learned a great deal from our contributors and I am eager to try new techniques and create beautiful dolls.

Discovering Dolls

When I discovered reborn dolls on the internet nearly six years ago, I appreciated them as an art form. I was amazed at the realism, and I wanted one…but just one. I was not a doll collector and it never crossed my mind to become one. If anything, a reborn doll would have been one of the first pieces in my future art collection.


Until recently, dolls didn’t play a big role in my life. I was more of a Tom Boy when I was a little girl, and I enjoyed playing with hot wheels and marbles. I did have some Barbies, but in typical little sister fashion, I felt that my big sister always got the better Barbie dolls, so mine lost their appeal. As a pre-teen I joined in the Cabbage Patch phenomenon and begged my Mom to get me one. I received Tabitha Elizabeth for my 12th birthday and I still have her to this day. I would say that was the extent of my doll obsession as a child.

Over the last two years, I have learned more about reborn dolls, OOAKs and a variety of other dolls. I used to say that I wanted to learn to make them all, but I had no interest in collecting…but that is no longer the case. Aside from a couple of my own reborns that I haven’t parted with, I own one little bundle baby by Dorothy Steven and I am constantly seeing dolls that I would love to own. OOAKs, mini babies, silicones, fairies, ball-jointed dolls and even some unique play dolls are capturing my attention. How I wish I could own them all! Sadly, with small children in my house, I don’t think this is the time for me to be collecting many of the art dolls I am fond of, so I must live vicariously through the collectors I meet online and at doll shows.

So, I’m asking all of you collectors to indulge me and share your collections. What is your favourite doll? How did you get started? What is your most coveted doll? Send your photographs and comments to us at editor@lifelikedollsmag.com.

Sheri

Doll Artist Prepares for ArtPrize Competition

                                              

Grand Rapids is gearing up for ArtPrize, an unprecedented competition that will award nearly one-half million dollars to prize winners, including $250,000 to the artist who receives the most public votes.  ArtPrize, which will run from Sept. 23 through Oct. 10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will have no formal jury, curator or judge. The public will decide who wins the prizes by voting, using mobile devices and the web.

More than 1200 artists have entered the competition, including doll artist Nancy Tassin from Grand Haven, Michigan who will be showing her work at Fountain Street Church. 

Nancy’s ArtPrize entry, titled “An American Family”, will be an art doll portrait sculpture of President Obama and his family. It respectfully captures the humanity and hope that lies at the core of who the Obamas are and what they mean to our nation. Each figure’s body is soft sculpted out of fabric over a wire armature. The hands, feet, and faces are free sculpted from polymer clay without the use of molds. The eyes are glass and the wig is handmade from Angora goat hair. The costumes are handmade from wool, silk, cotton, and other fibers. Each sculpture is finished with oil paint. The figures range from 10 to 23 inches tall.

"People have always been my favorite subject to drawn, paint and now sculpt," explains Nancy.  "I find the human face so interesting with all of the little differences that make each one of us unique.  The body is wonderful.  I never tire of watching people move – the way a small child learns to balance as he climbs on a box, how a boy runs with grace after a soccer ball, or the way an old person eases into a chair."

   

About 20 years ago Nancy bought one of Annette Himstedt's Barefoot Children.  As she studied the doll's face she realized she wanted to sculpt.  She experimented with various mediums, but found polymer clay to be the most rewarding.

Those who see Nancy's art dolls often comment on her ability to breathe life into the clay. On seeing one of her art dolls, a friend once asked, “I know you sculpt the heads from clay, and that the eyes are glass, but where do you find the little souls?”

Nancy chose President Obama and his family as the subject for her piece because they represent an important moment in history and she wanted to capture them as they start their journey.  "I think they are a beautiful family with strong values.  Their closeness and the support they provide to one another seem to embody the hope our nation needs at this time.  Whether or not one agrees with his policies and ideals, I feel like the Obamas as the First Family, represent America ’s best qualities," says Nancy.

Nancy is the mother of three grown children and has five grandchildren. Her art has always been a passion, if not a profession, and recently she found inspiration in sculpting art dolls. When one of her dolls appeared in Contemporary Doll Collector Magazine, she experienced the joy of sharing her work with others. Although she normally does not display her work, this past success and the excitement of sharing her visions inspired her to enter the Art Prize competition.

Additional Resources

ArtPrize Website: www.artprize.org

Nancy Tassin’s ArtPrize Profile: http://www.artprize.org/artist/id/2743

What is a reborn doll?

A reborn doll is a lifelike doll that has been created from a play doll or a doll kit.

The art of creating reborn dolls involves painting layers and layers of paint to create a realistic skin tone, including characteristics such as veining and shadows in the creases.

They have soft hair rooted into their heads to appear as if it is growing naturally, and they are weighted and stuffed to create a cuddly and true to life feeling. A reborn baby doll’s head must be supported just like a real newborn infant!

Each reborn doll is an artist creation and has it’s own unique qualities. These four dimensional portraits are not play dolls, but pieces of art to be cherished and admired for years to come.

Welcome to LLD!

We are so excited to be starting this blog to discuss and share doll news, information and stories! We will share some articles from Lifelike Dolls Magazine, but our main goal is to publish written work from doll enthusiasts around the world. If you have doll related questions, stories, information, articles, tutorials or even a picture to share, email us at lifelikedolls@gmail.com with "LLD blog" in the subject line, and we may publish it right here on this blog!